Published: November 04, 2009 11:44 pm      

Chiefs chase first victory tonight at Cincinnati

JOHNSTOWN — Jeff Flanagan hardly can wait until he doesn’t hear or read the question:

“When are the Johnstown Chiefs going to win a game?”

The first-year Chiefs coach has had the misfortune of being on the wrong side of seven ECHL scores in his debut season on the Chiefs’ bench. The last four setbacks have all been by one goal, a sign that the 0-6-1-0 Chiefs are close to breaking through but also just a tad snake-bitten.

“There’s always pressure,” said Flanagan during a phone interview Wednesday as the Chiefs traveled by bus to Cincinnati for tonight’s 7:30 game at U.S. Bank Arena.

“The guys are still very focused. We talked at the start of the year and said that in order for us to be successful we’re going to have to overcome adversity. We’re definitely seeing that now.

“The guys are keeping their nose to the grindstone. The last two games we have played well. Our penalties have hurt us, being in the box.

And not being able to score on the power play has hurt us. Those are the biggest things that have hurt us. I think we will be better on both sides this week.”

After tonight’s game at Cincinnati, the Chiefs visit Wheeling on Saturday. The team returns home for games against Reading on Nov. 11 and Wheeling on Nov. 13.

Addressing the present situation, Flanagan made two roster moves.

He claimed forward Moises Gutierrez off waivers from the Alaska Aces on Wednesday. Gutierrez played most of last season with the Elmira Jackals, picking up 11 goals, 23 points and

83 penalty minutes in 37 ECHL games.

The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Gutierrez in the sixth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The

6-foot-4, 227-pounder is a native of Anchorage.

“He’s a big guy,” Flanagan said.

“He can work in front of the net. I think he’s going to help us in power play situations and creating net-front chaos so we can get some shots in on rebounds.

“We’re picking him up at the airport in Pittsburgh on the way to Cincinnati. He’ll be in the lineup in Cincinnati.”

To make room for Gutierrez the Chiefs waived forward Tyler Hirsch, who was in his second stint in Johnstown.

Hirsch also played for the Chiefs in 2007-08 before being traded to Stockton. Hirsch, a former University of Minnesota standout, didn’t play last season. He had one assist in six games this season.

“We needed to get better,” Flanagan said of the move.

“We’ve been working real hard and the guys have been doing the things they’ve been asked. We’ve been snake-bitten. Our defensive zone has been just OK. We need to get better. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Cincinnati long has been a Johnstown nemesis, including last season when the Cyclones beat the Chiefs four times in the final five games to eliminate them from the playoffs. Former coach Ian Herbers’ team finished one point out of the postseason field.

On Oct. 17, the Cyclones defeated the Chiefs 2-0 at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. Cincinnati scored two short-handed goals to spoil the Chiefs season opener.

“The last time we played them we played very well. We had two very unfortunate goals scored against us,” Flanagan said. “I think we’ve matched up well with all of the teams we’ve seen so far. We just need to do some little things better. We have to stay out of the box and score on the power play.”